Even Under Oath
by theotherslover
Summary: Barba's day gets stopped when the team brings baby Noah to his office


Rafael Barba was not a sensitive man. At least, he tried his best to not appear as one. His demeanor as the hard, ambitious ADA was serving him well and he was quite proud of his success since his transfer into Manhattan. However, his success did not come easy. It required long hours of work that others would deem to be above and beyond the call of duty.

On this particular day the coffee machine was broken and the rest of the staff refused to get a new one until he "detoxed". His secretary assured him that it was for his own good and done entirely out of love, but Barba felt that this was probably the worse type of punishment that the office could come up with. That was the only start of his problems. His case was falling apart. The victim was getting cold feet and refusing to testify, destroying any prosecution that he could think of. They needed the victim to press charges or all their hard work would be destroyed.

"We can talk to her and show her his other victims. Maybe telling her that she can help others will push her to keep the charges," Rollins said.

"Yeah, but she will still need to testify, which is what she doesn't want," Amaro had made up his mind that this case was a lost cause. "We should start looking into his past victims to get this guy." Though Amaro was often like a dog with a bone, his gut was usually right and Barba respected that.

"I'm not giving up on this one. I think Tina will come through for us," Rollins countered.

"What do you think counselor?"

Barba was not paying any attention to them. Not when there was buzzing in the back of his skull from his caffeine withdrawal and the constant cries of the little bundle in Olivia's arms. The detective was doing everything she could to calm the child that the team thought would be fun to bring along to his office, but sometimes babies just cry. Barba could see little Noah's chest rise as he inhaled for the next breath that would spark the oncoming wail, but what made him move was the sheer exhaustion in Olivia's eyes. Before he knew what he was doing, Barba was crossing the floor and putting his arms out to receive the baby. Olivia looked at him skeptically, but then handed over the child.

Noah stilled in his arms and stared at the new person holding him. He reached out and put one hand on Barba's face. Noah laughed as Barba stuck his tongue out and continued to make funny faces. Barba laughed too as the baby turned his attention to playing with his suspenders before noticing that the detectives were all looking at him.

"Why can't we do both? Talk to Tina and see what we can dig up on those other rapes? Worse comes to worse, we are exactly where we are now and if it all works out, we have a cooperating victim and more information on past crimes."

The detectives were still just looking at him, except Olivia who was rummaging through her bag for a bottle that she then handed to Barba. Noah drank from the bottle happily as Barba rocked him back and forth.

"That's a good idea. Amaro go with Rollins and see what you can find on the others and I'll talk to Tina," Olivia said, still looking at Barba.

"You can go home afterwards, get some sleep," Barba said after Rollins and Amaro left.

"What?"

"Get some sleep. I'll watch Noah. He can learn all about the life of an ADA. Maybe convince him to apply to law school in 21 years. I could be holding a future DA."

"Or the future chief of police," Olivia smiled.

"Or that."

"You sure you know what you are doing?" Olivia asked tentatively.

"I have nieces. Also can't do anything until your merry team give me something to work with. I think I deserve a few hours off," Barba replied.

"Let's compromise then. Come back to my apartment and watch him there. I don't know how long this is going to take."

Barba told the DA he was heading out a little early, and was basically chased from the building since apparently his overtime was starting to annoy the cleaning staff.

Olivia finally left the ADA and the baby alone after showing him where everything was in her apartment that would he need and a few things that he assured her he would not. Barba and Noah played on the floor with the blocks and cars. Noah was quite a fan of peek-a-boo, as Barba discovered. It was getting towards the time when Noah should be calming down so Barba put in a movie from the pile of movies for babies next to the DVD player. They were were happy and cheerful. He laid down on the couch with Noah on his chest and blinked for only a second.

It was the flash that woke him up. Barba blinked rapidly in confusion. He was on a strange couch with a small weight on his chest. Olivia's apartment. Right, he was watching Noah. That was when it clicked. Noah was fast asleep on his chest, hands wrapped tightly around his suspenders, and drool covering his shirt. Barba turned his head to see Olivia standing a few feet away with a camera in her hand.

"Please tell me you didn't," Rafael whispered.

"I plead the fifth counselor."

The ADA stood up and passed the baby to his mother. "Thank you. I needed this."

"Thank you for watching him."

"Please do not show that picture to the rest of the team."

"Picture? What makes you think I only took one?" Olivia smiled.

Barba groaned.

Later that week ADA Rafael Barba would be looking at the pictures of him sleeping on the couch with Noah resting on his chest. He would be debating whether or not it would be weird to make it the background on his phone and deciding that it would be, but it would not stop him from printing out a copy to keep in his top drawer for those days when he needed reminding of the good things in life. Until then, there were cases to be seen to and if Barba smiled when Olivia texted him saying if he was bored and wanted to enjoy a Winnie the Pooh marathon then her Saturday was free, that was something he would deny later, even under oath.


End file.
